Out of office, off the rails

If June is for taking a break, nobody told the chaos. Today, we’re looking at time off, voluntary or otherwise, in all its dysfunctional glory.

Author

Greg Sullivan
June 11, 2025

🧃 How to get your kids off the couch this summer without spending a dime

You could spend hundreds on camps and activities, but in this economy? No thanks.

I don’t know if it’s jealousy, because it’s exactly what I’d do given the chance, but watching my kid couch-surf his summer vacation away gives me a sort of allergic reaction. So when a parent on Reddit put out a desperate call for ideas with zero budget, the internet stepped up with some beautifully simple answers.

One hit: indoor camping. Picture blanket forts, flashlight shadows, popcorn "campfires," and a thrilling absence of mosquitoes. Most of the fun is in the construction anyway, lean into it.

Another fave: playground tours. Pack snacks, hop on bikes, and treat each park like a new level in a game. Let your kids conquer the monkey bars while you conquer a chapter of your book. Win-win.

And then there’s the library hack: it’s not just for books. Some offer free passes to local museums, or host events with games that actually trick your kid into learning. (Sneaky, right?)

There are more winners on the list, and I’m planning to try them all because at this rate, he’s going to have a higher GamerScore than me by August, and that will not stand in this house, YOUNG MAN!

📧 Job hunting is brutal enough without accidental CCs

He didn’t get the job, but he did get the receipts.

Anyone who’s endured a job hunt lately knows the usual response: radio silence. Apparently, the courtesy of a “thanks but no thanks” is too much to expect. [shakes fist at sky] But it could, apparently, be worse.

Bart, an IT hopeful, had made it through the first round of interviews and was gearing up for a follow-up Zoom when things went sideways because, much like certain infamous Signal chats, someone didn’t proofread the CC list.

He found himself copied on an internal email bluntly stating “Bart is out,” followed by some coworker scolding and a directive to cancel his next interview. All of it unfolding in front of him, live.

He could’ve gone scorched earth. Instead, he delivered a reply with the perfect blend of class and sting: “Thought Bart was in,” he joked, before thanking them, waving off the apology, and cheekily suggesting they reach out if they ever want someone with a strong eye for detail and, you know… proofreading.
 

🌍 Boomers plan it, Zoomers wing it

These two generations travel very differently, and neither thinks the other is doing it right.

It’s vacation season, and while everyone’s dreaming of a getaway, how you vacation might depend more on your birth year than your bucket list.

Boomers bring structure. Bucket lists, travel agents, tour groups, and yes, spreadsheets. They book trips on desktops, print confirmations on real paper, and make sure everyone has the museum hours memorized. (I’m no Boomer, but I’ll admit... I love the travel spreadsheet.)

Zoomers? Whole different vibe. They’re getting flight ideas from TikTok, Googling “hidden gems” at baggage claim, and booking $1,000 plane tickets from a phone while on the toilet. Boomers use big screens for big purchases. Gen Z uses whatever’s in their hand at the moment.

One vacations like they’re on The Amazing Race. The other like they’re filing expense reports. And neither can believe the other survives this way.

And Gen Alpha? They have yet to demonstrate any desire at all for GETTING OFF MY COUCH. IT’S BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE!

💬From the group text…

Some people knead dough. Others knead grammar. Maybe I was just in a mood, but this one had me rolling!